Federal Register / Vol. 72, No.
181 / Wednesday, September 19, 2007 / Proposed Rules
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
14 CFR Part 39
[Docket No. FAA–2007–27257; Directorate
Identifier 2006–NM–131–AD]
RIN 2120–AA64
Airworthiness Directives; Airbus Model
A300 Series Airplanes and Model
A300–600 Series Airplanes
AGENCY: Federal Aviation
Administration (FAA), Department of
Transportation (DOT).
ACTION: Supplemental notice of
proposed rulemaking (NPRM);
reopening of comment period.
SUMMARY: The FAA is revising an earlier
NPRM for an airworthiness directive
(AD) that applies to all Airbus Model
A300 airplanes; and all Airbus Model
A300 B4–601, A300 B4–603, A300 B4–
620, A300 B4–622, A300 B4–605R,
A300 B4–622R, A300 F4–605R, A300
F4–622R, and A300 C4–605R Variant F
airplanes. The original NPRM would
have required inspecting to determine
the part number of the sliding rods of
the main landing gear (MLG) retraction
actuators. For MLG retraction actuators
equipped with sliding rods having
certain part numbers, the original NPRM
would also have required inspecting for
discrepancies, including but not limited
to cracking, of the sliding rod; and
performing corrective actions if
necessary. The original NPRM resulted
from a report of a failure of a sliding rod
of the MLG retraction actuator before
the actuator reached the life limit
established by the manufacturer. This
action revises the original NPRM by
proposing to require the return of
affected sliding rods to the
manufacturer. We are proposing this
supplemental NPRM to prevent failure
of the sliding rod of the MLG retraction
actuator, which could result in reduced
structural integrity of the MLG.
DATES: We must receive comments on
this supplemental NPRM by October 15,
2007.
ADDRESSES: Use one of the following
addresses to submit comments on this
supplemental NPRM.
• DOT Docket Web site: Go to
http://dms.dot.gov and follow the
instructions for sending your comments
mstockstill on PROD1PC66 with PROPOSALS
electronically.
• Government-wide rulemaking Web
site: Go to http://www.regulations.gov
and follow the instructions for sending
your comments electronically.
• Mail: U.S. Department of
Transportation, Docket Operations, M–
VerDate Aug<31>2005 16:41 Sep 18, 2007 Jkt 211001
53489
30, West Building Ground Floor, Room
W12–140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE.,
Washington, DC 20590.
• Fax: (202) 493–2251.
• Hand Delivery: Room W12–140 on
the ground floor of the West Building,
1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE.,
Washington, DC, between 9 a.m. and 5
p.m., Monday through Friday, except
Federal holidays.
Contact Airbus, 1 Rond Point Maurice
Bellonte, 31707 Blagnac Cedex, France,
for service information identified in this
proposed AD.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Thomas Stafford, Aerospace Engineer,
International Branch, ANM–116, FAA,
Transport Airplane Directorate, 1601
Lind Avenue, SW., Renton, Washington
98057–3356; telephone (425) 227–1622;
fax (425) 227–1149.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Comments Invited
We invite you to submit any relevant
written data, views, or arguments
regarding this supplemental NPRM.
Send your comments to an address
listed in the ADDRESSES section. Include
the docket number ‘‘FAA–2007–27257;
Directorate Identifier 2006–NM–131–
AD’’ at the beginning of your comments.
We specifically invite comments on the
overall regulatory, economic,
environmental, and energy aspects of
this supplemental NPRM. We will
consider all comments received by the
closing date and may amend this
supplemental NPRM in light of those
comments.
We will post all comments submitted,
without change, to http://dms.dot.gov,
including any personal information you
provide. We will also post a report
summarizing each substantive verbal
contact with FAA personnel concerning
this supplemental NPRM. Using the
search function of that Web site, anyone
can find and read the comments in any
of our dockets, including the name of
the individual who sent the comment
(or signed the comment on behalf of an
association, business, labor union, etc.).
You may review the DOT’s complete
Privacy Act Statement in the Federal
Register published on April 11, 2000
(65 FR 19477–78), or you may visit
http://dms.dot.gov.
Examining the Docket
You may examine the AD docket on
the Internet at http://dms.dot.gov, or in
person at the Docket Operations office
between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday
through Friday, except Federal holidays.
The Docket Operations office (telephone
(800) 647–5527) is located on the
ground floor of the West Building at the
PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 4702 Sfmt 4702 E:\FR\FM\19SEP1.SGM
DOT street address stated in the
ADDRESSES section. Comments will be
available in the AD docket shortly after
the Docket Management System receives
them.
Discussion
We proposed to amend 14 CFR part
39 with a notice of proposed rulemaking
(NPRM) for an airworthiness directive
(AD) (the ‘‘original NPRM’’). The
original NPRM applies to all Airbus
Model A300 airplanes; and all Airbus
Model A300 B4–601, A300 B4–603,
A300 B4–620, A300 B4–622, A300 B4–
605R, A300 B4–622R, A300 F4–605R,
A300 F4–622R, and A300 C4–605R
Variant F airplanes. The original NPRM
was published in the Federal Register
on February 14, 2007 (72 FR 6977). The
original NPRM proposed to require
inspecting to determine the part number
of the sliding rods of the main landing
gear (MLG) retraction actuators. For
MLG retraction actuators equipped with
sliding rods having certain part
numbers, the original NPRM also
proposed to require inspecting for
discrepancies, including but not limited
to cracking, of the sliding rod; and
performing corrective actions if
necessary.
Comments
We have considered the following
comments on the original NPRM.
Request To Require That Retraction
Actuator Sliding Rods Be Returned
Airbus, the airplane manufacturer,
requests that we require that retraction
actuator sliding rods be returned to the
part manufacturer when the life limit
threshold of 32,000 flight cycles is
reached. Airbus states that because the
reported failure of the sliding rod of the
MLG retraction actuator was before the
life limit of 32,000 flight cycles, the part
manufacturer has been requested to
identify the root cause. Airbus states
that for this purpose, the part
manufacturer must be provided with
any removed retraction actuator sliding
rod.
We agree with the commenter for the
reasons stated by the commenter. We
have added paragraph (i) to this
supplemental NPRM to require
returning the sliding rods to the part
manufacturer when the life limit is
reached for the first replacement cycle
only. We have also reidentified
subsequent paragraphs.
Request To Allow Records Review
UPS requests that we allow operators
to do a records review instead of the
inspection specified in paragraph (g) of
the original NPRM. UPS states that if the
19SEP1
 53490 Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 181 / Wednesday, September 19, 2007 / Proposed Rules
records review can conclusively
determine whether or not the part is
installed, it will be an equivalent level
of safety to the proposed inspection.
We agree with the comment for the
reasons stated by the commenter. We
have revised paragraph (g) of this
supplemental NPRM to allow operators
to do a records review instead of the
inspection.
Request To Revise Compliance Time
An anonymous commenter requests
that we revise the compliance time
specified in paragraph (g) of the original
NPRM to match the compliance time
specified in the corresponding European
Aviation Safety Agency (EASA)
airworthiness directive. The commenter
states that the EASA airworthiness
directive 2006–0075 R2, dated January
4, 2007, specifies doing the inspection
at the accumulation of 27,000 flight
cycles within 1,000 flight cycles or one
year, whichever occurs first. The
commenter points out that the original
Action
Inspection to determine part number .....................................
Inspections for discrepancies .................................................
Authority for This Rulemaking
Title 49 of the United States Code
specifies the FAA’s authority to issue
rules on aviation safety. Subtitle I,
Section 106, describes the authority of
the FAA Administrator. Subtitle VII,
Aviation Programs, describes in more
detail the scope of the Agency’s
authority.
We are issuing this rulemaking under
the authority described in Subtitle VII,
Part A, Subpart III, Section 44701,
‘‘General requirements.’’ Under that
section, Congress charges the FAA with
promoting safe flight of civil aircraft in
air commerce by prescribing regulations
for practices, methods, and procedures
the Administrator finds necessary for
safety in air commerce. This regulation
is within the scope of that authority
because it addresses an unsafe condition
that is likely to exist or develop on
products identified in this rulemaking
action.
Regulatory Findings
mstockstill on PROD1PC66 with PROPOSALS
We have determined that this
proposed AD would not have federalism
implications under Executive Order
13132. This proposed AD would not
have a substantial direct effect on the
States, on the relationship between the
VerDate Aug<31>2005 16:41 Sep 18, 2007
NPRM would require the inspection be
done before the accumulation of 27,000
total flight cycles. The commenter notes
that the original NPRM would result in
a threshold of 26,999 flight cycles
whereas the EASA airworthiness
directive specifies that the inspection be
done between 27,000 flight cycles and
28,000 flight cycles.
We agree with the commenter to
revise the compliance time. We
intended to match the compliance times
specified in EASA airworthiness
directive. We have revised paragraphs
(g) and (h) of this supplemental NPRM
to match the intent of the EASA
airworthiness directive. We have also
added new paragraph (k) to this
supplemental NPRM to ensure that any
replaced parts are inspected at the
compliance time specified in paragraph
(h) of this supplemental NPRM.
Explanation of Changes to NPRM
We have revised the applicability of
this supplemental NPRM to identify
ESTIMATED COSTS
Work hours
1 None ...........
11 None ...........
national Government and the States, or
on the distribution of power and
responsibilities among the various
levels of government.
For the reasons discussed above, I
certify that the proposed regulation:
1. Is not a ‘‘significant regulatory
action’’ under Executive Order 12866;
2. Is not a ‘‘significant rule’’ under the
DOT Regulatory Policies and Procedures
(44 FR 11034, February 26, 1979); and
3. Will not have a significant
economic impact, positive or negative,
on a substantial number of small entities
under the criteria of the Regulatory
Flexibility Act.
We prepared a regulatory evaluation
of the estimated costs to comply with
this supplemental NPRM and placed it
in the AD docket. See the ADDRESSES
section for a location to examine the
regulatory evaluation.
List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 39
Air transportation, Aircraft, Aviation
safety, Safety.
The Proposed Amendment
Accordingly, under the authority
delegated to me by the Administrator,
the FAA proposes to amend 14 CFR part
39 as follows:
Jkt 211001 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 4702 Sfmt 4702
model designations as published in the
most recent type certificate data sheet
for the affected models.
We have also revised this action to
clarify the appropriate procedure for
notifying the principal inspector before
using any approved AMOC on any
airplane to which the AMOC applies.
FAA’s Determination and Proposed
Requirements of the Supplemental
NPRM
Certain changes discussed above
expand the scope of the original NPRM;
therefore, we have determined that it is
necessary to reopen the comment period
to provide additional opportunity for
public comment on this supplemental
NPRM.
Costs of Compliance
The following table provides the
estimated costs for U.S. operators to
comply with this supplemental NPRM,
at an average labor rate of $80 per work
hour, per inspection cycle.
Number of
Cost per air-
Parts U.S.-registered Fleet cost
plane airplanes
$80 168 $13,440
880 168 147,840
PART 39—AIRWORTHINESS
DIRECTIVES
1. The authority citation for part 39
continues to read as follows:
Authority: 49 U.S.C. 106(g), 40113, 44701.
§ 39.13 [Amended]
2. The Federal Aviation
Administration (FAA) amends § 39.13
by adding the following new
airworthiness directive (AD):
Airbus: Docket No. FAA–2007–27257;
Directorate Identifier 2006–NM–131–AD.
Comments Due Date
(a) The FAA must receive comments on
this AD action by October 15, 2007.
Affected ADs
(b) None.
Applicability
(c) This AD applies to all Airbus Model
A300 series airplanes; and all Airbus Model
A300–600 series airplanes; certificated in any
category.
Unsafe Condition
(d) This AD results from a report of a
failure of a sliding rod of the main landing
gear (MLG) retraction actuator before the
actuator reached the life limit established by
the manufacturer. We are issuing this AD to
prevent failure of the sliding rod of the MLG
E:\FR\FM\19SEP1.SGM 19SEP1
 Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 181 / Wednesday, September 19, 2007 / Proposed Rules
retraction actuator, which could result in
reduced structural integrity of the MLG.
Compliance
(e) You are responsible for having the
actions required by this AD performed within
the compliance times specified, unless the
actions have already been done.
Service Bulletin Reference
(f) The term ‘‘service bulletin,’’ as used in
this AD, means the Accomplishment
Instructions of the service bulletins identified
in paragraphs (f)(1) and (f)(2) of this AD, as
applicable.
(1) For Model A300 series airplanes:
Airbus Service Bulletin A300–32–0450,
Revision 01, excluding Appendix 01, dated
May 10, 2006.
(2) For Model A300–600 series airplanes:
Airbus Service Bulletin A300–32–6097,
Revision 01, excluding Appendix 01, dated
May 10, 2006.
Note 1: The Airbus service bulletins refer
to Messier-Dowty Special Inspection Service
Bulletin 470–32–806, dated October 27, 2005,
as an additional source of service information
for performing detailed and high-frequency
eddy current (HFEC) inspections to detect
discrepancies of the sliding rod.
Inspection To Determine Part Number (P/N)
of Sliding Rod
(g) At the applicable time specified in
paragraph (g)(1) or (g)(2) of this AD, do a one-
time inspection to determine the part number
of the sliding rod of the MLG retraction
actuator, in accordance with the applicable
service bulletin. If no sliding rod having
P/N C69029–2 or C69029–3 is installed, no
further action is required by this paragraph.
A review of airplane maintenance records is
acceptable in lieu of this inspection if the
part number of the sliding rod of the MLG
retraction actuator can be conclusively
determined from that review.
(1) For airplanes that have accumulated
less than 27,000 flight cycles on the MLG
retraction actuator as of the effective date of
this AD: After accumulating 27,000 flight
cycles on the MLG retraction actuator, do the
inspection within the next 1,000 flight cycles
or 12 months, whichever occurs first.
(2) For airplanes that have accumulated
27,000 or more flight cycles on the MLG
retraction actuator as of the effective date of
this AD: Do the inspection within 1,000 flight
cycles or 12 months, whichever occurs first,
after the effective date of this AD.
Inspection for Discrepancies of Sliding Rod
and Corrective Actions
(h) For MLG retraction actuators equipped
with sliding rods having P/N C69029–2 or
C69029–3: At the applicable time specified in
paragraph (h)(1) or (h)(2) of this AD, perform
detailed and HFEC inspections of the sliding
rod of the MLG retraction actuators on the
left-hand and right-hand MLGs, in
mstockstill on PROD1PC66 with PROPOSALS
accordance with the applicable service
bulletin. Then, before further flight, perform
all applicable corrective actions, in
accordance with the applicable service
bulletin.
(1) For airplanes that have accumulated
less than 27,000 flight cycles on the MLG
VerDate Aug<31>2005 16:41 Sep 18, 2007 Jkt 211001
retraction actuator as of the effective date of
this AD: After accumulating 27,000 flight
cycles on the MLG retraction actuator, do the
inspections within the next 1,000 flight
cycles or 12 months, whichever occurs first.
(2) For airplanes that have accumulated
27,000 or more flight cycles on the MLG
retraction actuator as of the effective date of
this AD: Do the inspections within 1,000
flight cycles or 12 months, whichever occurs
first, after the effective date of this AD.
Note 2: For the purposes of this AD, a
detailed inspection is: ‘‘An intensive
examination of a specific item, installation,
or assembly to detect damage, failure, or
irregularity. Available lighting is normally
supplemented with a direct source of good
lighting at an intensity deemed appropriate.
Inspection aids such as mirror, magnifying
lenses, etc., may be necessary. Surface
cleaning and elaborate procedures may be
required.’’
Note 3: Operators should note that the
MLG retraction actuator rod must be replaced
with a new or serviceable actuator rod before
the 32,000-flight-cycle life limit specified in
the applicable airworthiness limitations
document, regardless of the inspection
findings.
Return of MLG Retraction Actuator Sliding
Rod
(i) For airplanes having any retraction
actuator sliding rods specified in paragraphs
(i)(1) and (i)(2) of this AD: After the effective
date of this AD, for the first replacement of
the retraction actuator sliding rod, return the
retraction actuator sliding rod to Messier-
Dowty, SA Product Support Engineering,
BP10—78142 Velizy Cedex, France, within
30 days after the retraction actuator sliding
rod is removed from the airplane.
(1) Any retraction actuator sliding rod that
is found to have cracking during the actions
specified in paragraph (h) of this AD.
(2) Any retraction actuator sliding rod,
P/N C69029–2 or C69029–3, removed that
has accumulated between 27,000 total flight
cycles and 32,000 total flight cycles.
Parts Installation for MLG Retraction
Actuator Rod
(j) As of the effective date of this AD, no
person may install, on any airplane, an MLG
retraction actuator that is equipped with a
sliding rod having P/N C69029–2 or C69029–
3, and on which the retraction actuator rod
has accumulated 27,000 total flight cycles or
more, unless paragraph (h) of this AD is
accomplished.
(k) As of the effective date of this AD, any
MLG retraction actuator that is equipped
with a sliding rod having P/N C69029–2 or
C69029–3, and on which the retraction
actuator rod has accumulated less than
27,000 total flight cycles, may be installed,
on any airplane, provided that the
inspections specified in paragraph (h) of this
AD are accomplished at the time specified in
paragraph (h)(1) of this AD.
Actions Accomplished According to a
Previous Issue of the Service Bulletins
(l) Inspections and corrective actions done
before the effective date of this AD in
accordance with the following service
PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 4702 Sfmt 4702 E:\FR\FM\19SEP1.SGM
53491
bulletins are acceptable for compliance with
the corresponding requirements of this AD:
(1) For Model A300 series airplanes:
Airbus Service Bulletin A300–32–0450,
excluding Appendix 01, dated December 1,
2005.
(2) For Model A300–600 series airplanes:
Airbus Service Bulletin A300–32–6097,
excluding Appendix 01, dated December 1,
2005.
Alternative Methods of Compliance
(AMOCs)
(m)(1) The Manager, International Branch,
ANM–116, Transport Airplane Directorate,
FAA, has the authority to approve AMOCs
for this AD, if requested in accordance with
the procedures found in 14 CFR 39.19.
(2) To request a different method of
compliance or a different compliance time
for this AD, follow the procedures in 14 CFR
39.19. Before using any approved AMOC on
any airplane to which the AMOC applies,
notify your appropriate principal inspector
(PI) in the FAA Flight Standards District
Office (FSDO), or lacking a PI, your local
FSDO.
Related Information
(n) European Aviation Safety Agency
airworthiness directive 2006–0075R2, dated
January 4, 2007, also addresses the subject of
this AD.
Issued in Renton, Washington, on
September 10, 2007.
Ali Bahrami,
Manager, Transport Airplane Directorate,
Aircraft Certification Service.
[FR Doc. E7–18448 Filed 9–18–07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910–13–P
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
14 CFR Part 39
[Docket No. FAA–2007–28367; Directorate
Identifier 2007–NE–19–AD]
RIN 2120–AA64
Airworthiness Directives; General
Electric Company (GE) CF6–80C2
Series and CF6–80E1 Series Turbofan
Engines
AGENCY: Federal Aviation
Administration (FAA), Department of
Transportation (DOT).
ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking
(NPRM).
SUMMARY: The FAA proposes to adopt a
new airworthiness directive (AD) for GE
CF6–80C2 series and CF6–80E1 series
turbofan engines. This proposed AD
would require installing doubler pads
(deflectors) on stage 5 of certain LPT
cases, or replacing those LPT cases with
LPT cases that have the deflectors
already installed. This proposed AD
results from four events of hardware
19SEP1